Hurrincane Henriette Hurricane Felix and Volunteer Opportunities

Hurricane Henriette caused about 7 deaths as it plowed into Cabo San Lucas and is expected to hit Mexico again just below Arizona. Hurricane warnings were posted from Topolobampo in Sinaloa state north to Bahia Kino. Henriette is expected to dump several inches of rain in parts of Arizona and New Mexico on Thursday night. The experts are saying that this is the first time that two Atlantic /Pacific hurricanes have made landfall on the same day according to records dating back to 1949.

Hurricane Felix is to blame for at least three deaths and the destruction of thousands of homes in Nicaragua's remote Miskito Coast where it struck as a powerful Category 5 hurricane and pushed inland, dumping heavy rains.

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The damage and destruction are only now starting to become apparent, but rest assured there will be great need for aid and volunteers. If you are inclined to help I have links below to several very good volunteer organizations.

Cruz Roja Americana is also gladly accepting donations to help those in need.
Volunteer Vacations Can Enhance Your Life and the Life of Others
Yes there are short term volunteer vacations available if you want to make a difference with your time. They are not necessarily low or no cost to you, but in many cases the fees are tax deductible and the experience is priceless. Some of the organizations that you can contact are:
USA Freedom Corps
Cross Cultural Solutions
Global Service Corps
Globe Aware
There are also opportunities to volunteer as a family at the volunteer family

And in the End
When natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes and Tsunamis occur I am morbidly fascinated, but I am also profoundly grateful when I am not affected in my little pond by them. I am even grateful to travel with the Octogenarian as inappropriate as his behavior can be. When life is good, pass it on. I am hunting up as always travel deals and info, thanks for checking in with me, your humble blog-cierge. ( hey, that's kinda snappy ;) Ciao for now, Maggie

Felix The Cat 5

Felix The Cat
Hurricane Felix packing winds as high as 160mph came ashore this morning at Punta Gorda, Nicaragua. This is farther south than originally forecast, but could be devastating to an area populated mostly by Miskito Indians whose main form of transport is by canoe. Heavy wind and rains are expected to continue throughout the day in Nicaragua and Honduras. Tourists and locals evacuated by boat and plane from areas like the barrier islands off of Belize, Honduras and Nicaragua known as diving and fishing meccas. These islands are particularly vulnerable during storms because many are no more than 1 or 2 feet above sea level.
For up to date info on Hurricane Felix which as of post time had been down graded to a cat 3 click here At post time,Fox News Network is now saying that 18,000 people are stranded in Nicaragua.


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Volunteer
As always now may be a great time to consider a volunteer vacation ( see previous posts)to areas hard hit by natural disasters, because even if you are low on cash, your elbow grease can make a huge impact.

And in the end
Hurricane Henriette is headed for Cabo so more to follow on that one. If you are heading to the Caribbean check with your airline or hotel for details regarding your destination. Puerto Vallarta looks like a good choice later this week as does Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Bermuda and the Bahamas are another good idea, just stay abreast of the weather and fun info like what Howard Stern and Larry were up to according to the latest tome on Anna Nicole, the tell-all Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith's Death, by former NBC journalist Rita Cosby.
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Book Makes Provocative Allegations
In the book Ms Cosby alleges that Anna thought Howard killed her son Daniel. Also, the book asserts that Howard and Larry were gay lovers....you heard it right here travelling friends! Another fun reason to travel to the Bahamas or LA....like we need one! As always I will be out there hunting up the best gosh darn travel deals and gossip for ya! Ciao for now, Maggie

Hurricane Felix and The Octogenarian's Birthday

Click here for good info about Hurricane Felix

Octogenarian Celebration
Wow, I take a little break and Hurricane Felix pops up. I have not posted in a bit because I took some time with my family travelling friends to celebrate the Octogenarians birthday in Port Aransas,Texas. I have to say, I had not attempted travel with him in the last year and then it was by car. This time it was by air and a bit more complicated. I am happy to report that the folks as Southwest are quite accommodating with mobility impaired individuals. Dad has his own wheel chair, but for those that need extra help they have porters on call. My brother flew down with him from Dallas and they experienced some weather delays, but finally got there. Coming back yesterday there were no weather delays, but there were no less than five people needing assistance with wheelchairs and boarding. I think my Dad thinks he is the only one who needs help and he is somewhat of a loose cannon with his comments, which is why we cannot let him fly alone...comments he thinks are quiet, but others certainly hear. I am very glad the rather large man across from us chose not to react to Dad's aside to me. Seniors are out and about my friends and make note,the older you get, the less you care about what anyone thinks...at least children think there are consequences for their actions, my Dad does not care.

Back to Hurricane Felix
At post time, Hurricane Felix is gathering strength and looks to be heading for Belize or Honduras. Aruba experienced a great deal of flooding, but no major damage reported. The hurricane watch in Honduras applies from Limon to the Nicaragua border, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane conditions are also possible over northeastern Nicaragua. A watch means that a hurricane is eminent withing 36 hours. A hurricane warning means that a hurricane is eminent withing 24 hours. Click here for more news

And in the end
Great bargains are to be had in travel now that school has started and shoulder season is here. I will update throughout the day today as I come upon new ones.
Ciao for now, Maggie